Should you Evacuate?

There’s a hurricane or potential hurricane out there and you live in its predicted path – should you stay or go? Emergency management officials say this decision should be effortless if a mandatory evacuation order is issued for you: go. Otherwise, they say, some people are better off staying put, depending on various factors. Below is the official advice for residents of Volusia and Flagler counties, adapted from the counties’ disaster preparedness publications.

VOLUSIA COUNTYYes, you should you evacuate, if you:Live in a storm surge zone. (Check the county’s storm surge maps at volusia.org/storm/map.htm or call 386-258-4088, 386-736-5980 or 386-423-3395 to find out.)Live in a low-lying or flood-prone area.Live in a mobile home or recreational vehicle.Require a respirator or other electric-dependent medical equipment.No, if you:Live in a sound structure and the categories listed under “yes” do not apply.

FLAGLER COUNTYPeople who do not live in the storm surge area and who live in a well-constructed home built after 2000 should consider staying. If you want to know if you live in an area that might be affected by storm surge, call the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center at 386-313-4200 or send an email to
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
. In general, anyone living east of Interstate 95 or a mobile or manufactured home anywhere in the county should plan for the possibility that they will be in a mandatory evacuation zone.

Other factors for consideration noted by emergency management officials in the two counties include:Persons who fail to evacuate when ordered to do so are in violation of the law and may face extended periods of time when help will not be available due to isolation.Bridges will be closed to traffic when sustained winds reach unsafe levels.